Conflicts of interest at the NIH

Since when is moral and ethical conduct required to be efficient and helpful? In a recent Opinion,¹ the authors express the concept that what is proposed by NIH (after a great deal of foot dragging) is far too stringent and inefficient and not helpful. Fortunately for the public, those writers seem to be implying that those corrupt and unethical scientists are leaving in droves. I hope so. It is these morally challenged individuals who allowed questionable drugs to be brought onto the market, who touted drug therapies at medical meetings that were highly questionable, who profited at the expense of the general public.

If NIH scientists, their families, and their staffs want to invest in the health care industry they have a variety of mutual funds that can do that and avoid any semblance of conflict of interest.